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Protective and Risk Factors in Exercise Addiction: A Series of Moderated Mediation Analyses

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  • Alessio Gori

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Pad. 26, 50135 Florence, Italy
    Integrated Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Institute (IPPI), Via Ricasoli 32, 50122 Florence, Italy)

  • Eleonora Topino

    (Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Via della Traspontina 21, 00193 Rome, Italy)

  • Mark D. Griffiths

    (Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK)

Abstract

For a minority of individuals, exercise may become excessive and lead to an addictive behaviour. To better understand the processes by which exercise could become an addiction, the present study examined the risk and protective factors of exercise addiction among regular exercisers, by investigating the role of drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, body image concerns, and self-esteem. A sample of 319 Italian regular exercisers (M age = 30.78 years, SD = 11.98) completed the Italian versions of the Exercise Addiction Inventory, Eating Disorder Inventory-3 Referral Form, Body Image Concern Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Data were analyzed by implementing a series of moderated mediations. Drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction were positively associated with exercise addiction. An indirect path was found in each of these relationships, which included the mediation of body image concerns, as well as a significant moderation of self-esteem in the associations between drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and the mediator. High self-esteem appeared to be a protective factor. The higher the level of self-esteem, the less indirect the effects of thinness drive, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and body image concerns were on exercise addiction. Such findings contribute to a better understanding concerning the risk and protective factors of excessive exercise, and may have important practical implications in structuring interventions to reduce risk of developing exercise addiction, as well as orienting future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessio Gori & Eleonora Topino & Mark D. Griffiths, 2021. "Protective and Risk Factors in Exercise Addiction: A Series of Moderated Mediation Analyses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9706-:d:635887
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marilyn Freimuth & Sandy Moniz & Shari R. Kim, 2011. "Clarifying Exercise Addiction: Differential Diagnosis, Co-occurring Disorders, and Phases of Addiction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Manuel Alcaraz-Ibáñez & Adrian Paterna & Álvaro Sicilia & Mark D. Griffiths, 2021. "A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Relationship between Body Dissatisfaction and Morbid Exercise Behaviour," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Rasa Jankauskiene & Migle Baceviciene, 2019. "Body Image Concerns and Body Weight Overestimation Do Not Promote Healthy Behaviour: Evidence from Adolescents in Lithuania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-14, March.
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    1. Juncal Ruiz-Turrero & Karlijn Massar & Dominika Kwasnicka & Gill A. Ten Hoor, 2022. "The Relationship between Compulsive Exercise, Self-Esteem, Body Image and Body Satisfaction in Women: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-9, February.
    2. Eleonora Topino & Marco Cacioppo & Alessio Gori, 2022. "The Relationship between Attachment Styles and Compulsive Online Shopping: The Mediating Roles of Family Functioning Patterns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, July.

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